1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heat-sensitive recording material having a high sensitivity to record a light signal having a high energy density such as a laser beam and an electron beam and a method for producing same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, it is known, as a recording material for a light signal having a high energy density such as a laser beam and an electron beam, to use a recording layer of a metal, a dye, or a resin which is thermally deformed, that is, melted or evaporated, by thermal energy generated by the light exposure, in addition to a silver halide light-sensitive material. For instance, it is known to record a laser beam or an electron beam whose amplitude has been modulated by an electric signal on a recording material which is thermally deformable (e.g., as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,262,122 and 3,266,393; A. L. Harris, M. Chen, H. L. Bernstein; Image Technology, pp. 31-35, April/May, 1970).
Such a recording method has the advantages of rapid processing and low cost and no post treatment is required.
However, since these recording materials have low sensitivity, a high power laser light source is necessary and the recording device is expensive and large.
It has now been found that a fairly large amount of the energy impinging on the recording layer does not contribute to increasing the temperature of the recording layer because the energy is lost since the thermal conduction from the recording layer to the support is fairly large.